McGuffin and Macguffin: #'s 7-5

No, YOU'RE horrifically delayed! Let us plunge deeper into my Top 20 Movies of Ever!

But dudes, for reals though: SPOILERS! Especially the first two. Be careful.

#7:

I’m betting that the majority of people reading this have seen at least a little bit of Firefly, whether it was against your will or not. Some nerd in your life duct taped you to a chair and Clockwork Oranged you through at least one episode, touting it as the greatest thing since 8mm. This is the effect that this show has on those whose vibrational patterns it syncs with: mad, zealotous devotion, like-unto a religion.

It is easy to see why

Part of the reason for this is that the show kind of caught many folks off-guard. It was a program populated with astoundingly likeable and talented actors, tastefully produced, intelligently written and lovingly crafted. It was a show that effortlessly built its’ own world and asked you to come along for the ride. And we did. Until it was cancelled.

That's cool. We'll just stand around posing until you call us.

The story goes that, after the show ended, series creator Joss Whedon beat down every door in Hollywood, begging and fighting for the chance to finish his story. When he finally got it, he and his cast and crew had quite a task ahead of them: Live up to the expectations. Years after the series was cancelled, this movie needed to find a way to appease both longtime fans yet remain accessible to new viewers. It needed to conclude the epic tale that Joss began on the small screen in a powerful, satisfying way, while standing as a movie in its’ own right.

And it did.

Big Damn Heroes

In the first 20 minutes we’re brought up to speed on the entire universe, introduced to the entire cast (in an amazingly artful single shot) and provided two action sequences to get the blood pumping. What follows is the antithesis of most films made from TV shows: a movie with a real story to tell, real characters to follow and care about, and real growth and change throughout.

From crazy...

... to SUPER crazy...

... to slightly less crazy.

We watch as the events of this film force the people before us to grow and evolve, and by the end we feel as if we’ve been on a journey with them. All through the simple (and by simple I mean incredibly difficult) technique of letting us feel like we're simply observers, rather than viewers of a performance. To make the world feel real and lived in.

To make it a home.

Best Moment:

I am a leaf on the wind... watch how I--

DIE HORRIBLY TO ESTABLISH THE STAKES!

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#6:

Batman is pretty great. I feel like we can all agree on this. And one of the greatest things about Batman is that he is an infinitely adaptable creation. His core character and motivations are so strong that you can tell nearly any type of story with him, in nearly any tone, and it still feels authentic.

See here...

... here...

... and especially here.

So it was a bit of a surprise to me, as I entered the theater at midnight in 2008 (on a Thursday, no less) to see the Dark Knight, that I couldn’t think of another example of a Batman Thriller. I was hopeful that this movie would be a strong and faithful adaptation of a great character, as Christopher Nolan had yet to make a bad movie.

Yet.

What we got was a superb psychological thriller that happened to have Batman in it.

This movie works because it’s a superhero movie second. The film stands on its own as a story about three men, determined to rid their city of corruption, and what that determination does to each of them. One man, determined to stand as an unbending icon of morality, is eventually driven to madness.

Oh, I dunno. He looks pretty stable to me--

GAH! I mean, ugh! I mean... hey! Lookin' good... guy...

Another learns that he must live within the same grey area occupied by those he’s fighting against if he is to make a difference.

Still shocked that Gary Oldman gives the understated performance in a movie...

The last, a crusader who uses the criminals’ own weapons against them, must face the repercussions of his war on evil, as he is confronted with his perfect opposite, just as devoted to chaos as he is to order.

"You look ridiculous."

This is an epic story, delving deep into the psyche of people who choose to stand up to oppression and terror. This is a poignant commentary on what society does to our heroes. This could be a Scorsese movie. And it has Batman in it.

How lucky are we?

Best Moment:

Awkward...

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#5:

As we bust into my top 5, we’re bound to run into a few dark horses. The truth of the matter is, I don’t think that this is one of the greatest films of all time. What it is, however, is one of my favorite movies, because it’s a perfect example of a movie that transports us.

Let's get nice and transported, gang

This film has no real narrative structure to speak of. It’s simply the story of a day and night in the lives of a bunch of stoner kids in high school, living in the direct asshole of nowhere. It’s about how they pass the time. It’s about the strange rituals they engage in, really because there’s nothing better to do.

Oh, wasn't your high school like this?

It’s about that odd way in which relationships form when you’re a young person, congealing naturally and without actual effort. It’s about nothing, and that, somehow, speaks volumes.

These guys are probably senators by now

I’ll tell you what it’s not, though. It’s not cynical. It’s not angst-ridden. Director/writer Richard Linklater wasn’t out to create a tortured look at the horrors of suburban youth.

Affleck notwithstanding

He was out to create an experience, to approximate how it feels to hang out with your friends, when the whole world lies before you, without an ounce of responsibility, and just enjoy yourself one night at a time.